Why edtech needs greater personalisation?
According to a recent study by Google and KPMG; the ed-tech sector in India will see approximately 8x growth by 2021, this means that the user base will grow from 1. 6 Million to 9.6 Million. In fact, according to industry experts the future of education in India will depend on online courses. This is not an unexpected trend in a country which is the second largest online market in the world. Thanks to smart phone penetration and better Internet connectivity; everything is going online including education. Online learning is not the ‘next big thing’ anymore; it is ‘the big thing now’.
MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) despite being the most common is not the most effective structure within the ed tech sector. Many e – learning sites now focus on an interactive engagement pedagogy where the instructor can support and interact with students, provide personalized feedback and encourage critical thinking.
One can see the impact of this in tier 2 and tier 3 markets, where online coaching is fast overtaking traditional formats. In fact, this is very evident on our platform and we have tried to address the very core issues that emanate from increased online coaching adoption. The need for one-to-one coaching stems from the traditional education model in India, where personal connect is very essential in a teacher student engagement. With the advent of online education in varied fields like professional exam coaching, professional development and job oriented exams, the importance of personalised content has grown significantly. There is a need to bring people out of their traditional views on education and human presence combined with e-learning helps achieve that. Not to mention the huge cost difference between traditional and online learning.
personalized feedback in online test preparation
Effective feedback should be regular, constructive and specific and should effectively encourage students to advance towards the specified learning goals by focusing on both personal and academic growth. It is no longer one-fits-all approach. Providing personalized feedback has numerous advantages which can transform e – learning sites. For example, help identify weak and strong areas of a test taker and then suggest specific training modules to help them improve.
Give better feedback and cremore ate better learners. A factor that often hinders effective learning is the misinterpretation of learning objectives, an issue that is regularly undiagnosed due to the reluctance of students to speak up. With the ability to communicate with students and peers in real-time, students are never left to wander aimlessly along their respective learning paths. Instead, they’re offered regular performance updates, substantial feedback from both teacher and peers, and a better understanding of how to reach their goals.
It is often difficult for students to understand what is meant by the term “good performance” and how to achieve this status, especially since the concept is subjective. Effective feedback offers an explanation as to what defines “good”, how to work towards achieving it. For example, a student might be very good at the basics of a subject but can fail in its application in the exam, this needs a different approach and varies student to student. We need to help students assess existing knowledge, reflect on what they have learned and what they still need to learn - highlighting the areas that need further attention, while offering educators a chance to provide substantial feedback.
When students are better informed about their progress, they can zone in on areas that need more attention, further highlighting their strengths and weaknesses. With clearer direction, students gain much more confidence as they head toward their goals. Educators are at the same time afforded real-time views of student progress, with a precise indication of who requires more support and what each student’s objectives are. With a better understanding of learning objectives, students can build on this feedback to construct individualized paths to mastery.
synchronous vs asynchronous learning
Synchronous learning is a pioneering concept in online education since it offers users a combination of the best of traditional learning and e – learning. Rather than learning on their own, students who engage in synchronous courses can interact with other students and teachers during the lesson.
Whereas, in asynchronous learning, students will typically complete the lessons on their own wherein they can access the study materials, coursework, assignments and tests whenever they need to and will use the Internet merely as a support tool. These courses usually follow the MOOC format and are never 100% online.
While both these formats have their own set of advantages and disadvantages, synchronous learning is slowly becoming the preferred module of learning particularly for those who have a flexible schedule. It encourages interactivity and peer – teacher collaboration. With peers and teacher working together towards common goals, students are encouraged to work with others and to learn from each another. It also does away with the isolation that online sites were previously associated with. In a live environment, there is also more exposure which means an obligation to be prepared. However, the asynchronous method remains the most commonly used medium since the logistics are more straightforward. It has a flexible time schedule and students can engage in learning whenever they wish to. Every student has an equal opportunity to contribute and those who have trouble speaking up can take their time crafting a written reply. Technically access to asynchronous environments can also be made with a lower network specification which is a boon to remote participants.